eArly yeArs

c2c early years

ages 4-5

It's Time for Kindergarten: Let the Planning Begin!

By olIVIa K. PItKEthly, Ma, lMhc

Disclaimer: I am an overprotective parent. I'm not exactly a helicopter mom who constantly hovers over her children. I'm more of a boomerang; I'll give my kids space, but I'll keep coming back around to make sure things are okay.

That said, a few months ago I began to panic after realizing my son would be entering kindergarten this year. I want to make sure my child starts his education in a setting where he can thrive, make friends and be academically challenged. Talking to other parents, I realize they have the same concerns.

So, how do we choose the right school for our kindergartner?

Gabi Hein, director of Abiding Savior Preschool, hears this question a lot. She advises parents to visit the school of choice and to observe in the classroom, if possible.

Although our chosen school has an open house for prospective parents and students later in the year, the administrators were more than happy to open their doors and tell me everything I needed to know. I knew once I toured the school it would either send me back into panic mode or put my mind at ease. Luckily, the latter happened. I arrived a little early to my scheduled tour and had the opportunity to review some literature in the school office. As a therapist, I was impressed with the mental health education they provided, such as bullying prevention and how to talk to your children when a classmate has cancer. I was also very happy to see children’s art displayed throughout the school and smiling faces everywhere I looked.

Hein also recommends talking with parents whose children attend the school. Pick their brains about what they like best about the school and where the school needs to improve. But don’t limit yourself to parents of children in kindergarten.

“Look at the school past kindergarten,” Hein says. “Your child will be spending six years there. You don’t want to be jumping around to a different school every year.”

It’s best to talk to like-minded parents who have similar values and personalities as you do. Figure out what your top three “must-haves” are for a school, and talk to parents who feel the same. While some parents may place extra value on classroom size, others may stress importance on curriculum or after-school programs.

Lastly, whichever school you choose, be active! Hein recommends volunteering in the classroom or in the PTA. And it doesn’t have to take up a lot of your time. For example, a friend who taught second grade for years before becoming a stay-at-home mom volunteers for one hour in her daughter’s classroom every two weeks. Hein explains that volunteering will help you become more acquainted with the teachers, other parents and your child’s friends, resulting in a feeling of camaraderie.

“As the saying goes,” she says, “It takes a village to raise a child.” 

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES!

The internet can also be a great resource to help make your choice. Every school (public, private and charter) has a website.

To reach out to other parents, forums such as greatschools.org can provide useful feedback. For more information about registration, curriculum, school grades and zoning exemptions for Alachua County public or charter schools, visit sbac.edu.